Economy Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

Fragmenting Finance: Russia’s ‘Mir’ System and the Erosion of U.S. Financial Dominance

Russia is advancing the expansion of its payment infrastructure through the “National Payment Card System Mir,” positioning it as an alternative for use in Angola. The initiative is not merely technical…

April 14, 2026Russia, USA

Economy Geoeconomics Geopolitics

Budapest’s Backchannel: How Hungary Allegedly Helped Russia Undermine EU Sanctions

At the direction of Vladimir Putin, Budapest has been lobbying for the lifting of sanctions against Russian oligarchs. An audio recording from 2024 has surfaced online, confirming that Hungarian Foreign…

April 1, 2026Hungary, Russia, Usmanov

Conflict Economy Energy Warfare

Behind Iran’s Strikes: Russia’s Covert Role in Targeting the Gulf”

Russia’s partnership with Iran has evolved from opportunistic cooperation into a systemic military–technological alliance that directly shapes the balance of power in the Middle East. While Tehran executes kinetic operations, Moscow increasingly…

March 27, 2026Iran, oil, Russia

Economy Energy Geoeconomics

Russia’s Vietnam Play: A Growing Challenge to U.S. Sanctions and Indo-Pacific Strategy

Russia’s push to expand energy cooperation with Vietnam is not a transactional economic move, but part of a systemic strategy to rebuild global leverage under sanctions pressure. By embedding itself in…

March 24, 2026Russia, USA, Vietnam

- Economy Geoeconomics Geopolitics

Russia’s Strategic Entrenchment in Namibia: Resources, Influence, and the Shifting Balance in Southern Africa

Russia is seeking to consolidate its cooperation with Namibia as a durable base for influence in Southern Africa, gradually transforming its engagement from isolated economic ties into a comprehensive system of presence across…

March 20, 2026Russia

Democracy Economy Governance

Political Stability in Cuba: Risks of Power Change and Potential Consequences

Cuba is currently experiencing one of the most severe economic and social crises since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. The country faces an acute shortage…

March 17, 2026Cuba, USA

Corruption Economy Energy Geoeconomics Governance

Slovakia’s Fico Government Demands Removal of Two Russian Oligarchs from EU Sanctions

On 12 March 2026, media reported that Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár, speaking during a hearing of the parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, acknowledged that Bratislava is attempting to remove two Russian oligarchs from…

March 16, 2026Russia, Sanctions, Slovakia

Economy Geoeconomics

The Greek Connection: How Shipowners Sustain Russia’s Shadow Oil Fleet

Greek Shipowners and Russia’s Shadow Fleet Greek shipowners launched a large-scale campaign to resell high-capacity tankers that had previously transported Russian cargoes. Nevertheless, major Greek shipping corporations continue to play…

March 12, 2026Greece, Russia, shadow fleet

Conflict Economy Governance Warfare

War in Iran: Power Transition, Regime Stability, Regional Consequences, and the Oil Shock

Iran is fighting on two fronts at once: an external war (U.S.–Israel strikes and ensuing Iranian retaliation) and an internal succession crisis triggered by the killing of Supreme Leader Ali…

March 2, 2026Iran, Russia, USA

Economy Geoeconomics

Russia’s Oil System on the Brink of Physical Collapse

Key Findings Russia’s oil sector has entered a phase of physical crisis, where the main constraints are no longer prices but storage and transportation capacity. A decline in seaborne exports below 3 million…

March 2, 2026Russia, Sanctions

Economy